Belinda Wei is the co-founder and COO of Dear Bella Creamery. Wei brings a decade of experience in plant-based cooking and pastry-making with a commitment to made-from-scratch recipes that feature high-quality, all natural ingredients.
Growing up in Texas as a first-generation Taiwanese American, Wei struggled to find a sense of belonging as she balanced two cultural identities. Trips to the ice cream store connected her family through conversation, which instilled a deep appreciation for shared meals. This early fascination with food led to experimentation in the kitchen at an early age. Wei enjoyed spending time at her uncle’s patisserie, observing the intricate process of pastry-making, which felt more approachable than schoolwork. Wei followed her sister to Los Angeles and attended Cal State Los Angeles, where she explored fashion and graphic design. After tiring from the traditional academic route, Wei enrolled at the Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, where she flourished with fulfillment.
After graduating, Wei worked at kitchens across Los Angeles, climbing the ranks from line cook to executive chef. After dining at Cafe Gratitude with a friend, Wei discovered the infinite possibilities of vegan cuisine, which cemented her aspirations to work in a plant-based kitchen. A year later, Wei joined the team at Cafe Gratitude as the Executive Pastry Chef, where she developed a deeper relationship with food and its impact on one’s physical and mental wellbeing. Wei went on to open The Springs LA as its executive pastry chef, where she worked under Michael Falso (Pure Food & Wine, Del Posto, Matthew Kinney, Erewhon, Sunlife Organics), who she credits for allowing her creative ideas and techniques to flourish.
Wei’s approach to Dear Bella’s culinary ethos and recipe development stems from her relationship with food. She adopted a plant-based diet as an adult after her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Eating wholesome, plant-based ingredients not only changed Wei’s relationship with food but allowed a deeper connection with herself, which allowed the space to grow both professionally and personally. She was inspired to lead a more compassionate kitchen culture, nurturing her team’s creative freedom and individual passions at Dear Bella.
Wei’s first interaction with her now business partner, Alice Cherng, took place at The Springs LA after years of overlap in the vegan community. Wei spotted Cherng dining in the restaurant and introduced herself by offering a scoop of her house-made black sesame ice cream to Cherng. From there, the two quickly formed a friendship over their mutual aspiration for impacting the vegan culinary world, which would evolve into co-founding Dear Bella Creamery. Wei continued her full-time kitchen roles, including opening Wild Living Foods and Erewhon, before bringing Dear Bella Creamery to life in 2017.
Wei lives in Pasadena with her dog, Leeloo, and enjoys exploring different eateries, rock climbing, and going to hockey games.